Creighton Women Fall To UCONN, 72-61

Omaha, Neb. -- In just the third battle of BIG EAST teams to start 8-0 in league play or better in the last 25 years, it was the No. 6 Connecticut women's basketball team that remained unbeaten with a 72-61 win over host Creighton on Saturday, Jan. 25th. The game was played in front of Creighton's largest home crowd in program history, 11,141 and was just the team's fourth contest ever inside CHI Health Center Omaha.

Connecticut is now 19-2 on the year and 10-0 in BIG EAST play, while Creighton (16-4, 8-1 BIG EAST) had its seven-game win streak snapped and suffered its first home loss of the season.

The Huskies led 15-13 after a close first quarter in which neither team led by more than four points at any point.

The game turned in the second quarter as UConn pulled away with an 18-6 run, including a 15-2 run in the final seven minutes of the half to take a 33-19 lead into the break. CU's normally stout ball protection saw the Bluejays turn the ball over 10 times in the second quarter, which the Huskies converted into 10 points.

Creighton opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run to claw within seven points on a pair of occasions, but it would get no closer. Connecticut All-American and 2021 National Player of the Year Paige Bueckers had a dozen points in the third quarter and the guests would eventually stretch its lead to 56-38 heading into the fourth quarter.

After falling behind by as much as 20 (60-40), Creighton delivered one more punch. Down 65-47 (6:45) Creighton turned to its most potent and reliable weapon, the three-point shot. The Bluejays got treys from Molly Mogensen, Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly to go on a 9-2 surge to pull within 11 at 67-56 (2:58) The Jays got as close as 10 points down the stretch before Connecticut closed out its NCAA-record 1,232nd victory under Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma.

Creighton was led by 14 points by Molly Mogensen and Morgan Maly, while Brooke Littrell (12) and Lauren Jensen (11) also scored in double-figures. The Bluejays return to action on Wednesday, January 29 in a road game at Georgetown.

Sarah Strong led all players with 26 points while Bueckers added 22 despite a scoreless first quarter. The duo combined for 29 of Connecticut's 39 points after halftime, including its first 13 points of the fourth quarter.

The Jays will be back in action Wednesday at Georgetown with a tipoff at 6:00 pm.